e_calamar, FlickrThis Tuesday, the British government announced they would attempt to introduce a system to introduce minimum prices for alcoholic beverages, apparently an attempt to stamp out exceedingly cheap drinks.

The Telegraph reports that Prime Minister David Cameron is willing to approve suggestions that single units of alcohol should not be sold for less than £0.45.

(Note: In the UK the alcoholic content of beverages is measured in government defined "units." A pint of beer is roughly equal to about two or three units).

The tax has been promoted as something that could save lives, and costly medical bills, annually as well as raising up to £700 million a year.

However, there's a catch. The majority of drinks affected will be cheap, shop-bought beverages rather than pricier wines or ales served in bars or restaurants, as the pricier drinks are already over the minimum price per unit.

Because of this, the proposal has caused a bit of a stink — at a time when public sector workers are striking over pensions and protesters are lining the streets of London, the tax has been portrayed as shot against poorer British citizens, who can't afford to buy their alcohol in restaurants and prefer to drink at home or in cheaper establishments.

A poll conducted by the Guardian indicates that more than half of the British public would be opposed to the tax, while well known British blogger Guido Fawkes (who comes from the other side of the spectrum to the Guardian) writes:

The UK has taken other measures against selling cheap alcohol in recent years (largely in a bid to end the "binge drinking" that tabloids hate so much). Measures have included making it illegal for stores to sell alcohol at a loss while imposing higher duties for extra strength beers.

However, given David Cameron's reputation as an champagne-swilling old Etonian, this latest move might be a misstep with the booze-loving British public.